Finding Unity
by D. G. E. Liwen
Summary: Off of the northern coasts of Kalimdor, Laiken Tearshorn was raised in a community that was filled with his own kind: half breeds. When his godfather goes missing in the Eastern Kingdoms, Laiken races from home to find him. He faces prejudice, interesting characters, and things he could not possibly imagine in his travels.
1. Prologue, The Betrayal

**_Finding Unity_**

Rewrote and retconned by: Dimitri Liwen

**Preface:**

_Orcs __and __humans __can interbreed, and in this union create half-orcs. Humans and orcs have been enemies for decades and half-orcs represent something both races prefer not to think about. The half-orcs' genesis is usually violent and perverse, and their appearance — too bestial to be human and too clean to be orc — reminds the parent races of the rift between them and the horrible deeds each has performed on the other. Thus, most humans and orcs ignore half-orcs. Other races are little better, as the human-orc conflict is only one facet of the __Alliance-Horde __tensions upon which no one likes to dwell. Conversely, some see half-orcs as symbols of unity. Not all half-orcs are born to abused or victimized parents; some are the children of clandestine love. __Perhaps half-orcs represent what could be accomplished if the races put aside their differences and lived in peace. After all, if humans and orcs, with their history of hatred and bloodshed and wildly different origins, can produce viable offspring, perhaps the races are not as different as they think._

_Half-orcs face mixed reactions. Even more so than __half-elves, half-orcs are the targets of rage and derision brought about by __is a violent place and tensions thrum like taut wires. The __Third War __lives in recent memory, and most humans and orcs lost loved ones at the hands of the other side. Half-orcs find little welcome, though the situation is better in the larger, more enlightened settlements._

_Unlike half-elves, who prefer to wander or blend in to avoid prejudice, half-orcs are vocal, daring, and foolishly brave. A product of their parent races' pride, courage, and ferocity, half-orcs refuse to accept bias lightly. They demand attention. Half-orcs commit to audacious dares and acts of suicidal bravery to prove their worth to their parent races. Occasionally they succeed._

**Prologue: The Betrayal**

The clouds hovering above the once sunny plateau of the Elwynn Waterfall were now violent, and depressing. On this dark night, a human paladin, named Varkaan Kesh, rode from his scenic house on top of the waterfall, to the far-reaching Three Roads, near the entrance to the Redridge Mountains, where he met a robed figure, and handed a certain, bumping satchel to him.

"Take care of him, Lucien, if I am to see him as a man, I will want it to be of fair heritage", Varkaan grimly ordered.

"Of course, Captain Kesh, I will take him to my safe haven, and I'll ensure his safety", Lucien said, smiling warmly at the baby that his Captain had handed him.

"He means everything to me, Lucien; don't forget that… if only she knew the same…" Varkaan said, looking down at the baby, who wasn't crying, but was giggling happily, at the sight of his father.

"I must leave, or else the people of the order will catch me, and detain me for leaving abruptly… come now little boy", Lucien cooed.

"His name is Laiken", Varkaan asserted.

"_Laiken_, let's take our leave", Lucien said, mounting his charger and heading off in to the dark night that blanketed the land in uncertainty.

Varkaan merely shuddered, and tightened his cloak for the windy ride back through the wet forests back to his hovel. The rainy wind whipped at his face, causing him to flinch, and the howling of the wolves in their dens made him shudder harder, as the rain began to let up, and the pale sunlight showed throughout the mountains of the southern kingdom.

Varkaan headed up the familiar path to his home, and wiped his bearded face of the rain that had struck him, even in his helmet. Something unnerved him, however. He frantically searched his grounds for something out of the ordinary, but found nothing, so he approached his hovel, and entered it, slowly, not letting his guard down.

His house, though small, was still very polished on the inside, and thus, this made him look rich, and feel safe when rainstorms like that occurred over the Kingdom of Stormwind. He walked over to a chair, and fell asleep in it for a few hours, before being awoken by the sounds of a horse whining outside.

"What's bothering Darkfall now?" Varkaan pondered to himself, as he slowly rose up, rubbing his eyes and face, and walking outside.

To his shock, Darkfall lay slain, by a single arrow shot to the neck, and her body was bleeding out onto the grass, discoloring it with a shade of crimson red. Varkaan let out a distinguished cry, before he saw, out of the corner of his eye, a leather-clad figure, wielding two glowing blades in his hands.

"I guess this was going to happen sooner or later, wasn't it?" Varkaan grimaced.

Not wanting to waste time, Varkaan laid his weapons on the ground, and waited for a preemptive strike. Nothing happened, so Varkaan looked behind him, and saw the person staring like something had gone wrong.

"I know you're an assassin… but what you're looking for isn't here, I told Donald that… he'll never take my son, not when I'm still breathing, my son, regardless of his "offensive" heritage, will not be harmed… neither will she. Strike me now, assassin. I can show the paladins of my lifetime I was not afraid, not afraid to die, and become a martyr for my son, and my wife, do it", Varkaan said, breathing heavily.

Varkaan now was on his knees, his hands resting on the back of his head, tears rolling down his strong face.

The assassin didn't waste time, and took a well coordinated slash into Varkaan's backside, puncturing his kidneys and liver. The next blow came from the offhand blade, which went right through the back of his right lung. Varkaan breathed his last breath, and looked directly into the eyes of his assassin, who had now taken off his mask to reveal a familiar face.

"You always were pathetic", the assassin said.

"Donald… will not win this time, Ironheart, he will not have this day, or my… son", Varkaan spat out, blood pouring from his mouth.

"Pity your death will go down as dishonorable…" Ironheart said with an ungrateful tone.

…

Young Lucien Hartshire had reached his destination, 6 days after the tragic death of Varkaan Kesh. That destination was a peculiar place, located a few miles off of the northern shores of Kalimdor. The sun was plentiful there, as well as the safety for the people he went to meet. It was a walled city, built on a small island, where trees grew like grass, and the people were as friendly as one could wish for.

Lucien delivered the baby to the godparents that Varkaan had instructed him to be left with. He knocked on a door, which was a part of many houses that were lined up, made of white stone, and fashioned together by clay and metal, and a face lit up when he saw the baby that the young paladin had given him.


	2. Chapter 1, Morning Comes

**Chapter 1: Morning Comes**

Asoria City wasn't a quiet place in the midweek. Nor was it dull, or boring. This particular midweek morning was special, however. At least it was for the young adult Laiken Tearshorn. It was the day his grandfather, Lucien Hartshire was coming to visit him, from a far away place known only to Laiken as _Stormwind_. Laiken was raised in a shelter, which allowed for this to take place, only under very strict supervision from _both _parties.

The sun shined bright over Asoria Square, as Laiken proudly walked through the center of his birthplace, to the docks, to meet his grandparents. Now, technically, Laiken wasn't raised by godparents. His 'godparents' were really two elderly orcs known to Laiken as Frist and Kai. Kai was still alive, whilst Frist had passed on, due to old age. Lucien was marked as Laiken's "grandfather", when in reality; there was no blood relation to the two.

The docks were always lively on midweek days, people bustling, trading, eating, scheduling. It was really a confusing place to an outsider. Luckily, for Laiken, he wasn't an outsider, and knew to use the East Dock Alley to bypass a good chunk of the traders and businesspeople. The shade offered a brief repose for him, as the sun beat down on his back.

Laiken reached the docks as the sun reached its highest point: noon. His light-green brow was covered in sweat, as his grandfather approached him, happily. Laiken wasn't as tall as some of his other orc friends, but, he was as tall as Lucien, even at 19 years old. Lucien smiled as he hugged him.

"Laiken, it's been so long. Come, I've brought some brie from Stormwind, I know you love it", Lucien chuckled as Laiken put his muscular arm on his shoulder.

Laiken merely smiled, through half-tusked teeth. His smile was genuine; Lucien thought, but genuine enough to tell him the truth?

Lucien, over the intervening years, had resolved to go back to living in Stormwind, taking over his 'crimes', which were acquitted seeing as how Varkaan was dead, and Donald Lorsen had been missing ever since he resigned from the position of leader of the order of paladins in Stormwind City. The only remaining person who could possibly point a finger at Lucien now was Donald's 18 year old son, Roy, who wasn't even born when the 'crimes' happened.

"I have so much to ask you, Lucien", Laiken said as they reached Laiken's hovel, which was apart of the orphanage he was raised in.

"About what, my protégé?" Lucien replied.

Now, Lucien was in no condition to teach Laiken about the ways of the paladin, but he called Laiken 'his protégé' because it was a nickname that stuck when Lucien was travelling to Asoria Island after Varkaan was killed, and he would talk to Laiken like a real person. The constant thought of the treatment that Laiken would go under if he was raised in a pure-bred place were horrifying. Especially with the way they treated the suspicion of Varkaan's relationship with an orc.

"So much, sir… my main one being, when can I leave Asoria?" Laiken would always ask this, no matter when Lucien would visit.

"I always shall tell you the same thing, young one, whenever _you _are ready, young one", Lucien laughed as him and Laiken shared tea and brie, over the course of the day.

…

The night was silent in Stormwind City, as Ike Ironheart stood on the edge of the Canals, his hands at his back, eyes closed, and his breathing slowed to a meditative state. He sported a goatee, which was streaked with grey, and his once gallant hair was now shortened to a military-style haircut. His days as an assassin were over. Now he lived in glorious wealth under the watchful eyes of King Varian Wrynn, as the leader of the Alliance Army in Kalimdor. He wasn't happy, or angered by this; but he was content with it.

Ike stood, listening to the slight ripples the water would make when it hit the white-stone edges of the canals, and the fresh air coursing through his hair. He inhaled slowly, and reopened his eyes, seeing the world anew, as he slowly stood to a Stormwind Royal Guard looking over him suspiciously.

"Something bothering you, guardsman?" Ike asked, his voice not quavering or shifting in emotion.

"Not anything but you", the guard hastily replied.

"And to whom exactly am I bothering?" Ike questioned.

"Does that matter? You're out past curfew", the guard barked.

"Since when did the King set martial law? Be at your post, lest I need to revoke your service early… guard", Ike hissed.

The guard merely smirked, but not after Ike showed his warplate, which was covered by his cloth robes. It had the Generals' insignia, to which the guardsman immediately saluted.

"Such a high stature, I had no idea, General Ironheart!" the guards man stated.

"Keep your nose clean, boy, if you ever lip off to someone again, without proper authority, you'll see yourself drown under the weight of your own cobalt-forged armor, before you breathe and see it was me who threw you in there. Understood?" Ike sardonically asked.

The guardsman merely gulped nervously, and Ike laughed, going back to what he was doing as the guard walked off into the night. The clock tower struck midnight, and Ike exhaled slowly, his voice bouncing off the many stone walls of Stormwind City.

"Forgive me", he said, seemingly to himself, as he kneeled down, and revealed a rose, and plucked it into the water.

With that, General Ike Ironheart walked off back to his home, in the Stormwind City Outskirts, and sighed to himself that another exciting tour of duty was over.

…

"If you keep up your strikes like that… there we go! Keep your shield up, young Laiken! Strike from _behind _your shield, not in front of it!" Lucien Hartshire ordered as he was vigorously training Laiken to use a blade and shield.

Laiken, after a few tries, successfully emulated Lucien, and knocked the senior paladin over, indicating he had mastered the skill, at least according to Lucien. Laiken hurried over to Lucien to help him up, but the paladin got up without much help from Laiken.

"Very good Laiken… very good, you're learning very fast! I may be able to teach you some of the more advanced techniques yet… paladin stuff", Lucien wholeheartedly said.

"Paladin technique? Are you sure that's not forbidden, you know… by this order of paladins you tell me of?" Laiken curiously asked.

"The Knights of the Silver Hand have long since disbanded… the only paladins now are those trained by former members… I can train you if I wish, young one, don't heed too much on the subject", Lucien said.

"It must be a good advantage to have such training then?" Laiken questioned.

"Never underestimate an opponent, Laiken, and never think you can beat somebody before you engage them. A great paladin known as the Lightbringer once told me that, and it is completely true", Lucien wisely stated.

"Interesting… tell me more, oh great one!" Laiken laughed as he said this.

"I would… if we had more time… I must be heading off tomorrow morning, and as such, I – and you – must get some sleep", Lucien said.

Laiken sighed, and picked up the practice sword and buckler he had grown so accustomed to, whenever Lucien stopped to Asoria to visit him. They both retired in the cabin that Laiken had grown up in, and as the golden sunlight peaked over the walls of Asoria City, in the early morning hours, Laiken found himself awake, and more alert than ever.


	3. Chapter 2, The Vows of Silence

**Chapter 2: The Vows of Silence**

The weather in Asoria was unseasonable: it was raining, and raining _hard_. Laiken made sure to wear some extra cloth, and a hood, while walking with Lucien back to the Asorian Docks. The rain almost spoiled Lucien's notes that he took about Laiken's progress in swordplay, but due to the extra cloth Laiken had ripped from his cloak, they stayed fresh and safe. The docks, as one might expect, were not so filled on a rainy day, so Laiken and Lucien had no trouble getting to Lucien's boat before other people had filled all the comfortable spots.

"This should keep me entertained, at least for the 6 day journey back to the Eastern Kingdoms", Lucien said, taking a quill and jotting some more notes down.

Laiken help Lucien set up his dormitory on the ship, before the Captain called for all people who weren't travelling back to the mainland, to get off before they set sail.

"That's me, sir", Laiken solemnly said.

"Do not worry, Laiken. Your training is in need of some field experience. Everyone needs some, once in a while. Just be patient… we'll head back to the mainland soon enough, and you can see some of the glorious sights I've spoke up, from up close!" Lucien laughed.

Laiken hesitantly laughed as well, and headed off the ship, hearing the blaring horns sound, and the ship leaving port. The sun started to show faintly through the grey clouds, ushering in Laiken with feelings of hope.

…

Some days later, a few hours before the ship that had left Asoria would dock in the Stormwind Harbor, Lucien chuckled to himself as he walked about the deck of the ship, looking out at the sea, walking back into the cabin, and repeating. He didn't know why he was pacing, just that he was, and it wasn't settling well with him or the crew. He then, after walking back into the cabin for a 16th time, had a surge of purpose driven thought.

"Back to my dormitory, it seems", he whispered to himself.

As he headed back to his quaint room, he swore to himself, thinking he kept hearing someone following him. He brushed these thoughts off, and took a set on the edge of his bed, reviewing his notes, before he heard his door slam shut. In the doorway, was a robed-man.

"Now… this is strange isn't it?" Lucien said slamming his notes shut.

"Indeed it is, Hartshire", the robed man replied.

"What would bring an assassin to kill an old ambassador to a foreign island? Did I anger someone that far back…?" Lucien trailed off, looking at the would-be assassin's belt, which contained no weapons or holsters of any kind.

"Not to kill, no…" the assassin hissed.

"So your purpose is not with purpose… makes sense, doesn't it?" Lucien sardonically asked.

"Shut your trap, old man", the assassin barked.

"I'm not _that _old…" Lucien laughed.

"I swear to whatever order you and your pathetic paladin order prays to, I will choke you to death before I tell you my plight", the assassin deadpanned.

"Then tell me!" Lucien boomed.

The air seemed to stiffen, as Lucien looked into the sightless leather helm that the infiltrator-assassin was wearing.

"Laiken Tearshorn", the assassin murmured.

"What about him?" Lucien retorted.

"He's not very human, is he?" the assassin remarked.

"Does that matter? He is my protégé, and I will treat him as an equal", Lucien stated.

"Why? Mixed blood is not good. He is nothing but a foul creation, when a human-being gets bored, and… insinuates himself with an orc… it's not a pretty sight…" the assassin said.

"If you seek empathy for your cause, leave me be assassin. Half-orcs are the new generation we will be seeing in the near future. Bigots… such as yourself will not hold a candle to the new world, if you cannot first accept it", Lucien spat.

The assassin seemed to curl up in anger. His breathing was heard throughout the dormitory, and he sprang up, like a cat, and pounced on Lucien, tackling him onto the floor, his hands at his neck.

"Hear this, paladin, you may not understand, or care to understand, but I am no bigot, bigotry is not something that I look up to, or respect. We _both _have enough years as soldiers to understand that war changes people, either for good, or for worse, orcs and humans interbreeding only causes chaos", his voice seemed as cold as ice.

Lucien kneed the assassin in the stomach, and punched him twice in his chest, seeing the assassin back off was enough to get him to stop attacking him.

"If you cannot accept what is to come, then you _are _a bigot, assassin. Leave me be, or _attempt _to strike me down", Lucien snapped, revealing a hidden short-sword.

The assassin cracked his neck and knuckles, threw his head back, and laughed, the rich laughter echoing off the walls of the small room.

"We all have orders to follow… agendas to abide by… mine and yours are different, yes, but, in their differences, we find similarities", he cryptically hissed.

"Whatever order you're associated with, I want _no _part in, just leave me be", Lucien yelled.

By now, there was horn sound, letting both Lucien and the assassin know that they had docked in Stormwind City's Harbor. Both Lucien and the assassin suspiciously eyed Lucien's notes on Laiken's progress. The assassin made a grab for them, but Lucien quickly slashed with his short-sword, cutting the assassin's wrist, and causing a slight whelp to be heard, before he leaped through the open window of Lucien's dormitory, and dived into the water.

Lucien fled the boat with his notes clutched onto his chest harder than ever, as he almost ran through the Stormwind City Graveyard, and back to his home, in Old Town.


	4. Chapter 3, Buried Memories

**Chapter 3: Buried Memories**

It had been about a month since Laiken had last seen Lucien, and as he slept he grew more restless as each hour passed. This restlessness was attributed, and grew, as each passing day; he found that Lucien had failed to mail a letter to him, even a simple 'hello', or 'sorry I can't be there'. This made Laiken highly suspicious, even to the point of asking Kai if she would have accidentally misplaced the letter, which would have made much more sense.

"If I had seen the letter, I would have put it aside, for you later, dear", she would say.

At one point, Laiken almost tackled the mail carrier, to see if he was playing games, but to no avail. He sank into somewhat of a depression, before garnering the bright idea to ask Kai if she could accompany him to the docks.

"Why would you want to go to the mainland?" Kai asked.

"Lucien is waiting for me, I can feel it, Kai", Laiken pleaded with the elderly orc woman.

"Lucien will be here, remember the year he didn't show until Winter Veil? The boats were nearly froze to the water, but he made it", Kai stated.

Kai sure was stubborn. Laiken praised this part of his heritage, and wished it would come out as more prevalent, but the other part of his heritage denied this. Instead of being outright stubborn, Laiken was brave, and very intelligent. Whenever he went over these things, he would always end it mentally by saying 'may as well not complain, after all, you're a rarity among the rare'.

"So… we just wait? It's been a month, Kai… and he said I was nearly ready to go to the Eastern Kingdoms…" Laiken trailed off as Kai began to exhale loudly.

"Come, dear, sit with me, there is much I must explain" Kai softly said.

Kai led him to a living room, which he had seen many times before, but this time the room seemed quieter, as if it held dark secrets, that squirmed and squealed back into the darkness that hid them whenever they were exposed to sunlight. She sat down, and looked Laiken directly in his red-brown eyes.

"Laiken… you are aware of what you are, right?" Kai slowly began.

"A Half-Orc… my parents were a human and an orc. I was never told who they were, or why I've never gained the opportunity to meet them", he said.

"Do you know why we live on this island… away from the mainland? Asoria?" Kai queried, her voice was quavering a tad.

"No, I was never told that either, in fact… I haven't been told a lot of things, have I? Why is that, Kai?" Laiken replied.

"If you didn't already know… the history of the orcs and humans is stained in bloodshed, nothing is without the draw of the sword, a strike upon a shield… it is a very violent thing, I'm sure you're aware", she continued.

"I know very little… but yes", Laiken quietly said.

"Before I continue, Laiken… know that even though Frist and I weren't your real parents, know that I love you more than anything I've ever held close… besides Frist of course… and before I continue, let me know that you want to hear this, I need to know. I made a promise to Lucien that I wouldn't say a word, even if I had died before you knew, only if you asked", she expressed.

"I understand… and yes, Kai, I wish to know…" he took small pauses between his words.

"Your father was a respected paladin. His name was Varkaan Kesh… he despised all orcs with such a passion, that it carried on to some of the lower ranks of his fleets. However… after the Second War, and us orcs had been rounded up into the internment camps, your father found a young shaman…", Kai was cut off by Laiken.

"My mother?" Laiken pleaded.

"Yes, dear… your mother", Kai chuckled as she said this.

Laiken's eyes did not move from Kai's gaze as she began to explain in detail, what she had known from what Lucien had told her, about how Varkaan and Laiken's mother had met up.

"Your father was stationed somewhere north of the place where he was originally stationed, which from what Lucien told me was Durnholde Keep. He was patrolling the area when he came across a young shaman… who was bloodied from an attack by a nearby mercenary group. He, knowing that murdering someone, even if she or he was an orc, while they were injured was _not _righteous, so he took to hiding her and, in the intervening weeks, bringing her food and medical supplies", Kai explained.

"Is that what happened? He…" Laiken cut himself off.

"Elements, no! But, he did spend much time with her, and found himself devoting a lot of time to her, rather than his study. One night, she was attacked by the same group of mercenaries, and instead of letting her die… Varkaan saved her, and killed the mercenaries, striking them down with his blade", Kai said.

"He did care about her then? Where is he now, Kai?" Laiken questioned.

There was a sudden awful silence between the duo. Kai looked up, her strong eyes quavering to look away from Laiken's.

"H-he was murdered, by an assassin, who was believed to have been hired by the headmaster of Varkaan's order. Lucien was Varkaan's… protégé. Before Varkaan was killed, he made Lucien promise to keep you safe from harm… and Varkaan told him of us, Frist and I, and Asoria. Lucien took you here when you were so small… I can remember like it was last night", Kai softly explained.

Emotions rushed into Laiken, he felt anger, sorrow, pity and even remorse. But, still one thing drove him to ask a simple question to the now emotionally-drained orc woman.

"Where is my mother?" he asked.

"Your mother was never heard from again once Varkaan was killed. Lucien told me that Varkaan spoke _very _little of your mother, but her name was Hargu" Kai looked down at her hands.

"Hargu… she could still be alive?" Laiken asked, with a slight tone of excitement rising in his voice.

"Your mother will want nothing do you with you, dear. She left for a reason… Varkaan was heartbroken when she did", Kai tried to comfort Laiken with this statement.

"I am going to find her, and then Lucien", Laiken defiantly stated.

"You'll get no refusal from me, dear", Kai said.

"Excellent…", Laiken was cut off when he saw Kai open her strong-jawed mouth.

"But, you'll get no help from me either" Kai sadly stated.

"Why?" Laiken almost roared when he asked this.

"I cannot watch you go off and kill yourself on some stupid quest… but I know I can't stop you either", Kai replied.

"What do you mean?" Laiken asked.

"The world is full of hate for half-breeds, young one. Perhaps you do not know this now, but once you step foot on the shores of Kalimdor, you'll find that the world is not a place for Half-Orcs… or any kind of race that is a half-breed", Kai said.

Laiken nervously smiled. He then thought about the reality of the situation, ending up possibly a prisoner of war in some far-off place… far from home, far from everyone and everything he could have possibly held close, dying without saying goodbye…

"But… I wish you the best of luck", Kai said, her arms wide open.

Laiken embraced his godmother, and packed his training sword that Lucien had given him, as well as a shield that Lucien left. By the next morning, Laiken was in the boat, headed for a strange place known to him, by what the crew and Captain said, as _Ratchet.  
><em>

…

Lucien, dressed in his ceremonial golden plate armor, sat on the edge of a swirling whirlpool, that had caused the landscape that kept the Stranglethorn Jungle and The Cape of Stranglethorn held together, with his blade at his side, and shield lying on the ground. He drank from an old-glass cylinder, which had some of the finest rum from Booty Bay in it.

"Laiken's going to be here soon…", he said to himself, as the wind picked up, and blew his hair grey back.


	5. Chapter 4, Krug Firebane and Company

**Chapter 4: Krug Firebane and Company**

Laiken's boat voyage wasn't any _especially _special. For our human-heighted half-orc, he was very sea sick. At one point, one of the crew, who mistook him to a full-blood orc, asked him if he was truly an orc.

"I am not a full orc… just because my skin is light green and I have things similar to tusks,_ doesn't _mean I am", he snapped.

Laiken didn't mean to offend, but he didn't have time to apologize either, as the crewmember walked off angrily. He cursed under his breath as he walked back to his cabin, where he laid down, and held a bucket _very _close. He began to drift off into sleep once or twice, and in on instance, he saw Lucien, being tied up and killed by an unknown person, causing him to jump up, very frightened.

However, even with his sea sickness, Laiken made his way to Ratchet, and joyfully slung his sword on his side, and his shield on his back, and paraded off the boat, gleefully stepping onto the port. He breathed deep in about twice, and headed toward the run-down looking town, where footsteps and unintelligible chatter were heard throughout. One of the crewmembers had followed him out, and tapped him lightly on the shoulder.

"Sir, if I must give a word of warning to a newcomer of this place… don't listen to any 'job offers' these goblins have to give. Not anything personal, but from what I've heard, they'll rob you of anything that they can grab off of your corpse when they have led you into a trap", he said.

Laiken gulped, and his godmother's voice briefly flashed throughout his head. He shook off such things, and smiled back at the crewmember.

"Any advice on who I should talk to, then?" he politely asked.

"If you know how to speak fluent orcish… then try going to this little shop on the east end of town, called Weapons of Destiny. I know people we've ferried, they talk about him, and he usually will do something for you in return. His name is Krug Firebane… as we said before, if you want to travel to Booty Bay, you'll have to head off to Orgrimmar, but Krug can usually get you there, for cheap or free, depending on if he likes you", the crewmember explained.

If you didn't already know, the Asorian Boat Travel Agency was restricted from coming too close to any major settlements that were extremely biased toward one faction. Booty Bay was one such place.

"Thanks… anything else?" Laiken asked.

"Yeah… don't act like a mercenary unless you are one… you look like you have a good build, but no combat experience", the crewmember said, and with that, the boat's bell was heard, and he stepped back on as it heaved away from the docks.

"A mercenary…" Laiken said to himself, looking down at his body.

Laiken wasn't the _tallest _around, but that was due to his mixed blood. He had a strong, orcish build, coupled with the demeanor, and slight perfections of a human's build. He wasn't hunchbacked, and his arms were slender, but muscular. He stood at about five feet, eleven inches tall, and whenever he really wanted to look tough, all he needed to do was flex a tad.

But… now looking down at his body, Laiken now noticed he was still wearing the same clothes that his godmother had helped him put away for travel. His midsection was covered by something reminiscent of a farmer's attire, and he wore cloth sandals, his green toes sticking out.

"If I'm going to be any help to this… Krug, I'll need some armor", he said to himself, walking down the lane that led into the main part of the town.

The city itself looked run-down, but had a sense of business and trade about it, almost like an older and less-taken-care-of version of Asoria City. He walked for a while, before seeing the edge of the small, yet large looking town.

"Must have walked too far…" he said to himself, turning around to see a goblin with a gun on his side standing there.

He gulped, and his hands were tempted to hover over his weapon and shield, but instead he waited for the goblin to say something.

"Lost?" he asked, his voice was harsh.

"No…", Laiken slowly replied, before seeing two other goblins surrounding the one.

"Oh? Interesting… so, how much money do you have on you? For the toll of getting back into town, of course", the goblin snickered.

"There's not a toll to speak of, Kraven, I'd hope", an orcish voice said.

The goblins looked immediately scared, and ran off, heading back into the many alleyways and buildings they came from. Laiken felt so lost, but he slowly turned to see a gruff looking orc, hands dirty with soot, beard and hair frenzied, and his eyes looking as if they sought out adventure at any cost.

"Krug Firebane, engineer and owner of Weapons of Destiny, at your service", Krug said.

Laiken exhaled so fast, he thought he'd hyperventilate. Or maybe he'd hoped he would.

"Thank you… sir", Laiken hesitantly said.

"What's your name?" Krug asked, his voice piercing through Laiken's nervousness.

"Laiken Tearshorn", he said proudly.

"Laiken, eh? Doesn't sound like a very orcish name… but Tearshorn does. Not that I care… but Tearshorn sounds familiar… can't put my finger on it, but hey, let's get inside, Kraven and his flock are sure to come back for more, and I'm not in the fighting mood right now", Krug said, shaking his bag slightly.

Krug led Laiken through a maze of alleys, and streets, before finally, on the east end of town, just like the crewmember of the boat he travelled on had said, and Krug hastily unlocked the door, opening it to a wide variety of weapons hung on the walls, and the like.

"This is the shop…" Krug said, putting his bag down.

"I see…" Laiken said, looking around.

Krug flipped through his key ring, and found a large brass key, and walked to a dusty door behind the main counter. He slid the key into the lock, and turned it once. Almost immediately, gears and cogs could be heard, rather loudly, turning and grinding, as the door slowly slid open.

The opened door revealed a large room with moving mechanical devices, as well as a small work-table and chair. Laiken gasped as he saw it was a large room, shaped like a dome, and at the top of said dome, was a large window, letting in a beam of sunlight that shined directly over the work-table.

"Seems… cozy", Laiken finally said.

"Cozy? Where do you come from for this room to be deemed _cozy_?" Krug asked, looking directly at Laiken.

"A… place far away from here", Laiken was about to say Asoria, but decided not to, as he was still unsure of Krug's feelings about Half-breeds.

"Far away? Seems about right, you don't look as worn in other people I've seen coming into Ratchet", Krug said, sitting at his work-table.

Laiken felt unwanted at that very moment. He looked back at the weapons shop, and then back at the engineering shop, then back at Krug, who was looking back at Laiken.

"Is there some reason why you're allowing me in your shop?" Laiken promptly asked.

"Well… I saved your… riches; those goblins would not have killed you, not under my watch, at least. So… I guess instead of asking for a thank you, I am asking you to perform tasks for me as I go about my daily duties", Krug stated.

"I cannot", Laiken retorted.

"And why is that?" Krug asked.

"I am looking for someone important, who was taken from my life, or so I believe, and being a delivery boy for some roadside engineer isn't the way I'm going to find him!" Laiken angrily said.

Krug seemed to take this in for a brief moment, and then looked directly back at Laiken, rubbing his chin methodically.

"Who is this person?" Krug asked.

"I-I cannot tell you that. Can't we just keep it at very important?" Laiken pleaded with the engineer on this one.

"So… he's someone important enough you lash out on me in my own shop, yet you cannot tell me who he is or why… seems… slippery, doesn't it?" Krug was now digging into Laiken's cover.

"If I tell you, you'd probably kill me", Laiken hesitantly said.

"Try me, then", Krug said, revealing a pipe, of which he put tobacco in, and lit.

Laiken almost wanted to strike this person down, in raw anger, which was strange, as he was experiencing something he had never experienced before, at least before this instance. His palms were sweaty, as he turned around, angrily, and walked out of the shop, determined to head for the strange place known as Orgrimmar. To his chagrin, Krug began to follow.

"You're not free of my law, yet, traveler", Krug said.

"Leave me be, I'll find my way on my own", Laiken snapped.

"I think not, Mr. Tearshorn. I'll follow you until wherever you go, I can't", Krug laughed as he said this.

Laiken gritted his teeth, and continued to walk on the path that took him out of the town of Ratchet. He was there less than 6 hours. Further down the road, Laiken had to stop to garner some energy, and Krug finally stomped his feet on the ground, and spoke his mind.

"Just where exactly are you trying to end up? Dead?" he exclaimed.

"No", Laiken merely stated.

"Then where? At least tell me, so I can tabulate the time it might take us!" Krug yelled.

Laiken inhaled a few times, before reopening his eyes, and looking up at Krug, who was tapping his foot impatiently.

"I am _trying _to get to the Eastern Kingdoms. The people from the ferry service told me they didn't make runs to the Eastern Kingdoms, so I went looking for you in town before you found me, about to get attacked by a few goblins. You 'saved' me, and now you're acting like I owe you a huge favor, which I really don't think I do", Laiken calmly said.

Krug threw his hands in the air, and then he began to rub his chin methodically, like he did when they were back in his shop. He then looked at Laiken, and smiled wide.

"The Eastern Kingdoms? Why didn't you say so… we'll begin our journey immediately…" Krug's voice was cut off by the tapping of metal against skin.

Both Laiken and Krug looked behind them, to find the same group of goblins had followed them, and brought some _huge _looking things that held what looked like battering rams.

"Kraven… good to see you", Krug nervously said.

Before Laiken knew it, he had dropped his weapons and the ground met his face rather quickly, as he blacked out from being struck by the huge people with battering rams.


	6. Chapter 5, Prisoner to Goblins

**Chapter 5: Prisoner to Goblins**

Laiken groaned as he slowly blinked once or twice, to see he was in an industrial-like area, in a cage, surrounded by goblin engineers and tinkers. His vision was still blurry from the damage to his head, inflicted by his kind kidnapper, Kraven, but as his vision refocused, he saw that he was, damn-near completely naked. He only had a shirt and shorts on, his gear, as well as Krug's, was elsewhere.

Krug was still out cold, and his breathing was dangerously slow, from what Laiken could tell. As Laiken checked on his apparent friend, a goblin walked up to the cage they were in, and rattled the bars, taunting them.

"Finally awake are you? Kraven will be here shortly", for some indiscernible reason, the goblin cackled at what he said.

Laiken sat down, going over how the goblins had knocked them out mentally, over and over again, before he broke his own concentration, with a simple statement.

"That _wasn't _funny", he said to himself, referring to what the goblin guard had cackled about.

"These guards are a bad bunch; you'll find out that they care little, shortly _after _they start feeding you", a voice said.

Laiken almost jumped up, startled, he looked over to where the voice had come from, and readied his fists, although he personally knew that the person, whoever he may be, had no intention of attacking him.

"Down boy!" the man, who was revealed to be human, said.

Laiken put his hands at his side, and bowed to the human, who was much, much taller than Laiken, but appeared older, and grittier. He was taller than Lucien, Laiken was sure, and his face was littered with scars. He sported a white beard, and long, flowing white hair that went lower than his shoulders. The man extended a hand, and smiled, revealing his teeth to be sharp.

"Name's George Furman… prisoner of these goblins, I guess", George said, his voice was unusually quiet.

Laiken looked at George up and down, briefly, wanting to get to know something about him, at least to the extent of superficially. Laiken saw that, like he, George was wearing little more than a shirt and underwear, however, it looked as though he had been there at least half a year.

"So… I guess I should break the ice… how'd you get here?" George said there were hints of anger in his voice now.

"I had just got off the port, in Ratchet, and this goblin named Kraven, and his friends attacked _my _friend and I… and I just woke up here, you probably saw more than me", Laiken slowly said, keeping his voice down as to make sure the goblins couldn't hear him.

"I did see you getting dragged in by two hobgoblins, but besides that, you were sleeping like a baby", George said.

Laiken sighed. Now he knew what those two huge creatures were that had accompanied those goblins. Laiken's thoughts were interrupted by George coming closer to him, and looking him up and down.

"Tell me something though. In all my years as a necromancer, I've never seen an orc as clean cut as you… tell, me, orc, what are you truly to look so clean and tamable?" George's voice was now demanding, as his eyes pierced through Laiken.

Laiken gulped, and contemplated yelling for a guard to come and help him get the crazy old man off of him. But, this thought was dashed when he realized that he wasn't their guest, but instead, their prisoner. He looked George directly in the eyes, and with pride shining in his voice, he spoke loud and clear.

"I'm not a full orc… Mr. Furman, I'm what you'd call a Half-Orc… my father was a human and my mother an orc", Laiken nervously spat.

George smiled, revealing his teeth once more, and he looked back at Laiken like he was plotting something horrible.

"Figures, you understand Common speak and Orcish… but which do you speak in more fluently?" George asked.

Laiken was tempted not to answer, as the thought of him becoming a demonic sacrifice for George to escape kept flashing through his mind.

"I was raised to speak both, not one", Laiken said, speaking in Orcish.

"See that I didn't understand, so repeat yourself", George ordered.

"I was raised to speak both, not one" Laiken repeated, now speaking in Common.

"Interesting, very interesting…" George said, before he looked over, and saw a goblin approaching their cage.

Laiken and George both sat back down, acting like they were not talking to each other at all.

"You both _should _know that goblins are smarter than that, so you'll have to forgive me if I call you two stupid", the guard said.

Laiken recognized it to be Kraven, who was now wearing goggles, and a suit fashioned of leather and an arclight spanner attached to his belt. George ceased to feign not talking to Laiken, and openly spoke to him in front of Kraven.

"Listen here… this can't be good", George loudly said as if to purposely attract the attention of Kraven.

"So the man finally speaks!" Kraven said, astounded.

George laughed as Kraven whistled sharply, and two hobgoblins appeared to drag George off as he looked at Laiken, insanity rampant in his old eyes. The hobgoblins grunted as they walked off into the distance with the human in tow. Laiken looked back at Kraven who was cracking the knuckles on his fingers, looking at him and Krug.

"We've got a very special project for you two…" Kraven said, laughing as four hobgoblins approached the cage.

Krug woke up from his apparent dream sleep, and looked around in the same fashion that Laiken did, looked once at the hobgoblins, then at Laiken, then back at the hobgoblins, at this point, he rubbed his head, and cracked his neck.

"Nice of you to wake up, Firebane" Kraven spat.

"Always… nothing like being fashionably late, is there, Laiken?" Krug said, as if he didn't sustain any head injuries to speak of.

Laiken, through a confused look, merely nodded at his accomplice. He then looked back at Kraven, whose image was replaced by that of two huge purple arms picking Laiken up by the chest. The hobgoblins carrying Laiken grunted.

"He not heavy… not real orc", the one said.

Kraven's goblin ears perked at this, and he rushed over to his slaves, and immediately was firing questions at Laiken faster than speeding bullets. The most prominent of which was the same question George had asked Laiken, before being carried off.

"So what are you?" Kraven asked.

Even though Kraven genuinely wanted to know that Laiken was a Half-Orc, his tone of voice hinted that he couldn't care less whether or not he was a human splattered with light green paint, or a teenage orc. Krug now spoke up in the stead of Laiken, being more forceful and blunt than Laiken could achieve.

"Leave him alone, let him contemplate the ways he'll deal with his upcoming death", Krug barked.

"What?" Laiken exclaimed as the duo were taken out of the industrial area, and into a large, meadow, on top of what appeared to be a mountain top.


	7. Chapter 6, Ike's Plot

**Chapter 6: Ike's Plot  
><strong>

General Ike Ironheart now stood on the brink of losing sanity. He was chased out of Stormwind City, by King Varian Wrynn himself, with the claim that he was a traitor to the Alliance, and would either be executed, or forced out. He chose the latter, not wanting to be executed, or die, until he found the people responsible. Luckily, for him, he was hot on their trail, feverishly searching the Stranglethorn Jungle for Lucien Hartshire, who he believed held a key to aiding his search.

Ike's steed galloped through the overgrown pathways, and past Nesingwary's Outpost, and into more contested territory, where he could be shot randomly by a passing Horde member, or a Venture Co. goblin, looking for a hefty bounty. Nonetheless, time seemed to stand still as he searched for the wayward paladin.

Lucien, meanwhile, was resting, in the top floor room of the Salty Sailor Tavern, writing on some parchment, as he slowly rubbed his beard in distress. His notes that he jotted down were shaky, but not entirely sloppy, he could understand them, and he hoped that Laiken, should he ever reach Booty Bay, be able to read them. Lucien knew what was coming.

Ike walked through the bottom room of the tavern, which was filled with many a drunken pirate, or just an old sea dog, looking for a day's rest after some work, or hard work. Usually, it was the latter. He breathed heavy, and looked around the room, fire burning in his eyes.

"What can I do you for?" the barkeeper, who was an orc, asked.

Ike looked the barkeep in the eye, directly, and smiled.

"I'm looking for a certain person, perhaps you've seen him?" Ike asked.

"What's your name?" the orc asked, his Common speak was very fluent, albeit a tad bit accented.

"Isaac Ironheart. I prefer Ike, however", Ike replied.

The barkeep turned around and retrieved a piece of paper from a section of the bar's wall that didn't have a rack for holding alcohol on it. He quickly skimmed through the names, and found one that caught his eye; it was Ike's, obviously.

"Strange… says here that you're 'unwanted' by one of our guests here… his name is signed as a Mr. Lucien Hartshire, do you know anything about that, Ike?" the barkeep suspiciously asked.

"He's under arrest by the Royal Stormwind Army, for treason and harboring a dangerous criminal", Ike falsely stated.

His official sounding voice seemed to pierce through the hearts of the patrons, as all of them immediately looked up with wonder in their eyes. One patron in particular, an older man, who donned a pirate's hat, and had a long, snow-white beard, pointed toward the staircase that led to the private rooms of the tavern. Ike smiled, showing his teeth full well, and he took a few steps toward the stairs, and promptly looked back at the patrons, who were still eyeing him widely.

"That'll be all", Ike said, his voice stern as always.

As expected, the patrons went back to their business, drinking, talking, reminiscing, and the like. Meanwhile, Ike slowly walked up the stairs, crossing the small bridge that led to the private rooms, and slowly opened the corridor's door, trying not to make a sound as he did. Despite his best efforts, Lucien heard Ike approaching his room, and turned around, looking at the disgraced General in the eyes.

"Come to attack an old man in hiding, have you?" Lucien sighed.

"Perhaps not", Ike hissed, grabbing a chair, and sitting.

"What do you expect from me, tea and biscuits? Get out of my sight", Lucien barked.

"Talk", Ike merely said.

Both men were in their late fifties, but neither of them showed the worse signs of it, in fact, both of them could easily pass for forty. Both men reviled one and other, so it was a short matter of time before they began to talk in forked tongues at each other.

"What do you want to hear, General Ironheart? That I've kept the truth from you, and all of the other paladins of my order, for years? That I'm secretly an orc-raiser and orc-lover? No… that would be too easy", Lucien chuckled.

"Yes, indeed it would. I know of your 'secret' trips to the island off the north coast of Kalimdor. I know of the place, but what I want are coordinates", Ike stated.

"You come here _expecting _a handout? You've got the gall to approach me… no, leave me be traitor, I have better things to worry about than the ramblings and attempts to gain favor back for his forsaken position", Lucien was exceptionally cold-voiced when he said this.

"You've always been smarter than most everyone in that kingdom. Funny, why not put it to good use?" Ike asked.

"Good use? Do you even have a sense of the phrase you've just tossed at me? Putting my intelligence to 'good use' is what I did, 19 years ago, General. I _helped _Varkaan, and I kept his child and wife safe from harm, at _your _hand. Good use would be helping people, regardless of race and faction, in their weakest moments, not murder and conquest", Lucien yelled.

"Yet I'm the traitor. I seem to remember reading in the history books as to how your father, Hannibal Hartshire, petitioned a peace treaty with the orcs, to live in harmony, yet I'm the traitor?" Ike spat.

"My… I have never been fully in league with the Alliance. Not the Horde, either. In my heart, I've always known the best course of action, is peace, Laiken is proof of that, he will always remain the proof of that, even if he is dead, or missing right now", Lucien's voice indicated extreme sadness as he even mentioned the possibility of Laiken being dead.

"That's the little orc spawn's name is it?" Ike said, laughing.

Lucien looked up at Ike with anger bleeding from his eyes. He gritted his teeth, and charged at the disgraced general, his blade aiming for his neck. Catching the bastard off guard, Lucien tackled him to the ground, his blade at Ike's throat.

"Laiken is as much human as you and I… and if you, or anyone else tries to harm him because of his orc heritage, I will make sure your last hours are filled with suffering and anguish", Lucien said, through gritted teeth.

Ike coughed a bit, then tried to push the paladin off of him, but in turn, was sword-hilted in the face by Lucien, who got up himself, and drew his shield now, a crown of light floating above his head briefly, before disappearing, and Lucien's eyes faintly beginning to glow with holy, golden Light.

"If you want to end me, General, come at me, but do not expect an easy fight", Lucien's voice was similar sounding to that of the Prophet Velen in his holy state, but it wasn't accepting, or enlightening, but angry, and war-driven.

Ike smiled some blood from the wound he had sustained from Lucien coming out of his mouth. He got up, and threw back his cloak, revealing he had no weapon so to speak.

"I did not come here for blood, paladin. Know this, however: I have put into motion a series of events that will allow me to get my hands on this Laiken in a matter of weeks, I'm sure you've heard of the goblins that have joined the Horde, the Bilgewater Cartel?" Ike queried.

The holy Light's power faded from Lucien, as he dropped his blade and shield to the ground, his eyes full of fear now.

"What have you done?" Lucien demanded.

"Nothing but agree to a simple contract. I pay a certain Kraven Twitchblade a few gold shillings every week, he will have brought the half-orc to be, unharmed. Of course, I've gone to meet his Mr. Twitchblade in person to make sure that he doesn't back out, but nonetheless… your precious half-orc will be mine soon, and he, being the naïve one he is, will crack under my torture, and give me the location of this Asoria, so I will be able to lead Stormwind's armies to it, and destroy it", Ike was now laughing, rich, evil laughter.

Lucien stammered to come up with words, but could only mince together a simple, yet entirely true statement.

"You… sick bastard", he said, picking up his things and running from the tavern.

Ike remained behind, and began to laugh more. But it wasn't for what Lucien thought it was for. Instead, Ike laughed as he revealed a parchment with someone's signature on it. It was a certain signature, of a man, named Logan Bloodbane, who was the real person behind the mastermind plot.


	8. Chapter 7, The Talented Mr Furman

**Chapter 7: The Talented Mr. Furman**

Krug looked at Laiken for a quick moment, then at the bonds that held them, as they were held over a cliff drop. Then back at Laiken again.

"Well, this is it, we're going to die", Krug said, there wasn't a hint of regret in his voice.

"WHAT?" Laiken yelled.

"Well, if we somehow survive, which I calculate we won't, our legs will be broken beyond repair, and we'll be probably killed by either the infection the…", Krug was cut off by Laiken.

"I'll stop you there", Laiken sadly said.

"Why so sad? I told you to get your bearings and accept it", Krug said.

"Maybe for you, life isn't so great. But I'm so young, Krug… so foolish to step out of my home… so stupid", Laiken cursed at himself through tears of anger.

"Don't cry…", Krug was saying this in the best way possible, which still wasn't nearly as good enough as it could be.

Just as the two were conversing over the ledge, a screech of terror was heard echoing throughout the test zone. It was a goblin, who was screaming about the burning in his eyes, which seemingly didn't stop. In fact, it didn't, purple flame enveloped his head and he disappeared along with all potential traces of sound. The only sounds heard after that were the mutterings of the other goblins in the test zone, and the necromancer, who was taken from the cage that Laiken and Krug were held in, laughing hysterically as the goblins began to glare angrily.

"Its really _quite _the funny trick you see, you merely chant demonic verses, and…" George merely muttered after that and another goblin went through the same thing.

"Is he…?" Laiken began to ask the obvious as the goblins were abuzz with activity, grabbing weapons in vain to find their eyesight was ignited by demonic flame as well.

Screams of terror and agony were heard throughout as some tried to run, but George, ever resourceful, inflicted fear so great upon them that they literally ran off the edge of the mountaintop in fear of whatever he instilled in their heads. The chains that held George melted as he began to levitate and burst forth with purple flame like wildfire.

"Now's our chance!" Krug shouted.

Laiken now began to see, or at least what he perceived as, why Krug was such a loner. It wasn't because he was gruff or strong-willed. It was because he was insane. No other explanation in the world of Azeroth could explain why he acted the way he acted. Krug, insanely enough, began to limb flail until the crane suspending them in the air gave way, and swung back above the alcove, but left them still stuck.

"Ah… right, that's why it's called a _limb _flail. Doesn't exactly work if you're not using all four of your limbs does it?" Krug nervously laughed.

Laiken wordlessly hoisted his legs up and turned his wrists to the point where he could undo his holdings safely and flip himself over for a not-so-rough landing on the ground. He sighed with relief that this actually worked and almost ran off before looking over his shoulder briefly to look back at a still dangling Krug.

"Stay there", Laiken said.

Meanwhile, George continued his destructive demonic rampage about the goblin test zone. Many of the goblins laid dead or driven into hiding by this demonic-man thing as he careened through precious experimentation and years of hard file-taking. However, there was one goblin in particular that George was going after; it was the person who brought him, Krug and Laiken to the place, none other than Kraven. Luckily before Kraven met his end, Laiken caught up with George.

"Let me help you…", Laiken pleaded.

George threw his head back and laughed, as he did, purple mist erupted from his mouth and nose.

"A half-breed help me? No offense, but this needs to be done. He's nothing but a trafficker" George said.

"I've done a lot more, if you'd let me explain why you shouldn't kill this one", Laiken said panting.

"And why is that? Does he have some scary little gun that'll _finally _kill me? Emphasis on finally", George retorted.

"I need him to tell me where to locate a friend of mine; he's the only one that knows. He told me himself… well not really, but he can lead me to him", Laiken pleaded.

"Kraven has chased me down for 12 years, young half-orc. I don't expect you to understand, but it is a rather horrid annoyance when someone as… small as him seems to think you owe him the world just because he is who he is. That would be like saying that because I'm a necromancer I was trained under Gul'dan, next to… ah well never mind, I think the message is clear", George explained.

"I don't care what you do with him after I'm done with him", Laiken said, on his last bid.

George's face seemed to crunch up for a second, with a hint of anger mixed in with confusion, pity and some happiness sprinkled in there. He finally looked back down at Laiken.

"Fine… but _I'm _not going anywhere either… now go get your friend and meet me in the courtyard… after I've put the little bastard in a sack", George seemed to smile as he finished his sentence.

Laiken wasn't really sure what George spoke of when he said he wasn't going anywhere, but he followed his orders and sure enough, after freeing Krug the Insane, he found George standing in the courtyard of the test zone with a wobbly sack, which seemed to grunt whenever thrown over his shoulder.

"Where to then, people?" Krug openly said as they walked off the test zone and into the forests below to interrogate the goblin.


	9. Chapter 8, The Contractor

**Chapter 8: The Contractor**

"So you lied about him telling you where your friend was? Does your friend even exist?" George questioned as he carried Kraven in a sack as the trio walked through a vista littered with orange grass and trees.

"Yes… but I know he knows. He said something about it before he took Krug and I into captivity", Laiken said.

"So you _do _know?" George asked.

"I said I think he knows something…", Laiken was cut off by George making a swift hand movement.

"I am a man of absolutes… not really, just give me a simple answer", he barked.

"I just gave you one!" Laiken shouted.

He was beginning to feel a sensation unlike he had ever before. Even though this annoyance was a mere annoyance, he still felt like it could literally boil out of his mouth and into pure, uncontrolled rage at any given moment.

"Gentlemen, can we calm down? I'm still trying to figure out where we are!" Krug said.

George rolled his eyes and looked back at the orc engineer.

"For an engineer you sure don't know a lot of what we're going through. We're on the outskirts of Aszhara, damn near directly north of Orgrimmar, so we have to be quiet. If you can't keep up with the conversation don't try to join in at all", George snapped.

"You're very grumpy for an old man", Krug stated, peering at George with squinted eyes.

"Grumpy isn't the… best word to use to describe my situation. I have an outpost I set up a long time ago, in Ashenvale, but that's due west and we're making horrible timing getting there, so can we move this along please?" George was now sounding anxious.

Just as he finished saying that, the sack began to kick and make noises. Kraven was awake, and not in time according to the flustered look on George's face. He threw the sack over his shoulder, causing it to slam on the ground with a healthy thump.

"We'll have to find somewhere to set up camp seeing as how we didn't make it to my outpost", George angrily said, dragging the sack along the ground while Laiken and Krug followed into a secluded area.

George undid the rope fastening the sack closed and out popped Kraven like an eager mouse coming out of his borrows.

"This won't go far without me telling my buddies back in the cartel, you'll see!" he squealed, before personally meeting George's boot.

"My friend here tells me you're being contracted by someone", George said, calmly.

"Yeah, the cartel. What do you think I am? Stupid? Alliance pig", Kraven spat.

"So because I'm human means I'm automatically aligned and on good terms with the Alliance? Now listen to who's stupid", George retorted.

Kraven grumbled, and turned over on his stomach, hoping the three would walk away and leave him alone, but, to his anguish and anger, they didn't and Laiken nudged him rather hard with _his _own boot.

"Did you, by chance, meet a human? Besides this one… someone who paid to have us captured… maybe killed", Laiken wasn't angry when he asked this of the goblin.

"So now you think I'll reveal my contractors?" Kraven said.

"You're telling us that there is someone then, correct?" George snapped.

"Idiots, the lot of you. _You _think that I am scared of _you_? Three rag-tag people who _managed_ to capture someone smaller than them, beat him up and might possibly leave him for dead in the middle of a place that is exclusively Horde controlled?" Kraven asked of the three, his eyes wide open in sarcasm.

"Just tell my friend what he wants to know… and maybe I won't sacrifice your pathetic soul for eternal torment and suffering so I can call forth one of my demons", George sneered, revealing a hollow, but still active, soul shard that seemed to grab out at Kraven's soul.

Kraven screamed for a brief moment, before being kicked in the stomach by Laiken. He then looked up wide-eyed at George, then gulped loud and clear before speaking to Laiken, who was now angry.

"Not even he told me his name. But what I remember that when my friends… who are now probably dead or mentally inept due to your demonic rampage… and I got contracted by him, he was tall, and wore a mask… like an SI:7 assassin would wear, except he carried two orange glowing blades at each side. His voice was cold… like ice piercing into your soul, and he was terrifyingly and impossibly tall… I mean for a human", Kraven sounded as if he was going to throw up as he finished talking.

"So… you were contracted, by a man who didn't tell you his name, but contracted you anyway?" Laiken said, eyeing George, who moved the soul shard closer to Kraven, which made him squirm.

"The man himself didn't sign the papers… his 'associate' did, his n-name was Logan… somethin' Blood… I forget, the papers were burned back at the test zone!" Kraven now was frantic, and yelling.

Kraven was now silent, for he had spoken everything he could tell.

"In my general experience… goblins usually aren't lying when they're forced to tell something…", Krug said, finally adding his thoughts.

"He's right… as much as I hate to see such a fresh soul go walking, he's right… we should arrange for a boat to take us to Booty Bay, in the Eastern Kingdoms, that way we can begin our search there, which is probably where he picked up the contract anyway… that or the Nesingwary camp that's in Northern Stranglethorn… either way, someone knows somebody with a first name like Logan…", George deduced, refocusing on the goblin.

"Can't I go now?" Kraven whined.

"Tell anyone about… me being here, and it'll be your fresh soul, and you can count on that", George snickered as Kraven forced himself to stand and ran off into the aimless wilderness.

"Shall we depart, group? We have searching to do, and Laiken can't do it without me or you George", Krug said.

"Excuse me?" Laiken asked.

Before he was given an answer, he was strong armed by both George and Krug who began to walk due west, into a shrouded dark forest that George referred to as Ashenvale.


	10. Chapter 9, Intertwined Destinies

**Chapter 9: Intertwined Destinies**

George's hideout was… messy. Or so Laiken thought, anyway. From the entrance there was a haphazard disguise to keep away prying eyes that covered most of the sunlight (which in Ashenvale is very scarce due to the trees covering the sky). Laiken had been led to believe the hideout was… reasonably comfortable. He wasn't even told of a hideout or a hideaway when George and Krug dragged him into this strange place, he was just dragged along.

"Perhaps some tea? Or is it too early… I wonder…" said George, examining his stash of tea leaves that were neatly put alongside his bookshelf.

Krug tried reading the titles on said books, but to no avail. George approached his kettle, removed his blackish purple waistcoat, and ignited it with a match. Laiken, noticing this act, smirked.

"Can't you spellcasters command fire?"

George gave out a shrill laugh.

"We can, but when it comes to being safe, in _my _home, well I'd prefer to strike a match. No need to needlessly risk burning us all down in flame is there?" he quipped.

"I suppose not, then" Laiken murmured, looking at some of the portraits hung on the walls of the place.

George was in the middle of writing down something when he heard the kettle whistle. He quickly walked over to it and removed it from the flame, carefully placing it on a covered table.

"Tea anyone?" George asked, pouring himself a small glass.

"I sure will" Laiken said, pouring himself an equally small glass.

Krug looked at George, then at Laiken.

"Sure, I guess", he shrugged.

Krug began to pour the tea in a glass, before stopping.

"Is that enough? I don't want to take too much" Krug nervously stated.

"That's what it is there for, my orcish friend" said George, resuming writing his notes.

Laiken broke the brief silence by slurping on his tea by accident. George emitted a small chuckle before looking up.

"Who raised you, halfling?" George laughed.

"My adoptive parents. Why? I thought you knew this" he said.

"I am a human of genius intellect, but not even I can figure out which part of your parentage raised you" he was now completely focused on Laiken.

"I was raised in an orphanage. I had adoptive parents, but really I raised myself… it was a multiracial city off the northern coasts of this continent. I had visits from my father's best friend, though" Laiken let his voice sink to a quiet volume.

"And is your father or mother human?"

"My father… he was killed by an assassin, because of the nature of my birth, I was told. I was brought to live with my godparents by a trainee of his, Lucien" Laiken explained.

"Lucien? As in Lucien Hartshire?" George's voice went from sarcastic to curious.

"How do you know that name?" Laiken peered over at George suspiciously.

"He is… something of a friend. Good man he is… I haven't spoke with him in _years_, though. I didn't know he was your father's friend. Do you happen to know your biological father's name, boy?" George was now standing.

"I do. His name was Varkaan Kesh. He was a paladin – apparently a fairly reputable one, too" Laiken quickly replied.

"Varkaan Kesh? Your father is Varkaan Kesh? That is… that is unexpected… it would make sense, though. You look like him. Almost. A little bit. Tell me, then, were you told of your mother? Did she have any role in any of this?" George's eyes were wide, staring at Laiken with disbelief.

"I know _only _her first name. I wasn't told much – if anything – else. Her name is Hargu. From what I was told by my godmother before I left home" – Laiken was cut off by an obvious gasp from Krug, the first noise he'd made in a while.

"Hargu Tearshorn! I knew I recognized your last name! Yes, of course! It all makes sense now… wait… you still owe me for saving your skin back in Ratchet… and my pipe!" Krug laughed.

"You know of my mother, Krug?" Laiken almost yelled.

"I know _of _her. I can't say I personally know her. But I've seen her a few times, when I was an apprentice of engineering back in Orgrimmar. This was years ago, though… but you're what? 18? 19? I think she's still kickin'. It was only about 11 years ago I was there, so she very well might still be alive", Krug scratched his head.

George's almost ominous laughter was heard from his desk now. Laiken and Krug both looked at him.

"Droll. Very, very droll. This whole… predicament is so droll it makes me want to continue helping you on your quest. It would appear by recent revelations that both parties involved, young Laiken, both know your parents. I want to see where this whole adventure will take us now", George laughed, dousing the fire from the cooking pit and opening an armoire.

"Where will we go, then? How?" Laiken was confused.

"We will go to wherever it is we think your mother is, Laiken!" George said, putting on a waistcoat that had a hood attached.

"Do you expect me to know that?" Krug interjected.

"I expect you to have some form of idea that can lead us to her" George chuckled, strapping his stave to his back.

"And when do I have a say in this? Did I ever have a say in it?" Laiken began to think back to Ratchet.

"Nope, not very much. You've been swept around more than a wrench in my workshop" Krug added.

George, now fully dressed in blackish purple cloth that seemed to emanate a hue of purple mist, stood near the entrance to his hovel.

"Do you have any idea of how long it takes to walk to the Barrens?" Krug begrudgingly said.

"Yes, from here it will be about 4 to 6 days. Depending on any… difficulties we run into. If we run into any – which is why I am going to pack bread and water for this journey. Gentlemen, if you have any bladed weapons, or can find any around here that don't glow, I recommend you take them. We'll be needing them if we're going to survive on items other than bread" George said busying himself to pack provisions.

Laiken, concerned, but more confused, searched randomly for a dagger or a knife, or even a short sword. He found one that looked relatively normal, one that _didn't _glow, like George had instructed - it was strapped to an old, dusty trophy case. He swiftly put the scabbard on his belt and went to grab the sword hilt. As he grasped the hilt, he felt an odd, almost magical (if he could describe what that felt like) sensation weigh down his hand, scoffing it off, he sheathed it, and began to remove the cover for the entrance to the hovel, shortly followed by Krug.

"Four to six days of walking and possibly hunting. Won't this be the adventure?" Krug grumbled.

"You detest labor? How odd, especially for an engineer" George remarked, passing two satchels heavy with wrapped bread and a canteen of water to each of them.

"No, not labor. I don't like walking around in a warzone between night elves and orcs. We _could _be captured by either side, you know, and if we are, one of the sides captured won't be happy with the result of their capture" Krug swung the satchel on his back, and from there strapped the canteen onto it.

"A warzone?" Laiken's ears perked at that word.

"That is why, dear Krug, it will take four to six days. We're taking the _stealthy _route" – he examined Laiken and Krug – "you two are rather sparsely attired, aren't you?"

Krug and Laiken looked at each other slowly, examining the tattered items of 'clothing' they had on their bodies.

"Well, we did flee from being captured by goblins – where did you get that waistcoat you were wearing when we came in here?" Laiken asked.

Laiken felt a strange pulse of energy course through his body. He shook a bit from it, but refocused his efforts on George.

"Never mind that. I acquired it from where they were attempting to destroy it when I went back to get that little bastard Kraven. Look in my armoire, you'll find something that fits and suits you in there, I'm sure" George offered, putting the finishing touches on moving the cover from the entrance.

"How do you know it'll fit us? We are both… well orcish" Laiken shot back as he rummaged through the armoire with Krug.

George looked at the two, laughing.

"I'm sure it will – after all, most of it is mageweave", George laughed, walking from his hovel and into the fresh air.

"Such a bad joke" Krug said to himself.


End file.
